Keep your eyes on Jesus.

Yes, the Catholic church is in the news, and a lot of the stories are very discouraging, not just for Catholics, but for believers everywhere. It may take years to sort out, but my view is that the Church will prevail despite the apparent corruption in Rome. So what do you do in the meantime? Well, first of all, I would encourage you to keep your eyes on Jesus. The pope and all those in authority in the Catholic Church--or any church for that matter--are mere men who are capable of sin. No man, not even the pope, is without sin.

There are certain people that God "calls" to the ministry, but even these people have character flaws. The Bible is very honest and tells us about some leaders who were very close to God, and yet they had serious flaws. Moses doubted God, and he was denied the privilege of leading the Israelites into the promised land. King David had an extreme moral failure and even committed murder, and after that his kingdom was never the same. Yet in both cases, these great leaders admitted their wrongdoing, and God restored them spiritually. The Bible tells us that the Lord knew Moses "face to face," and David was known as a man "after God's own heart."

There's absolutely nothing wrong with you and your friends "staying Catholic." I would simply say that you should find a church that points to Jesus as the only way to God, teaches the Bible and helps you learn how to study the Bible, and provides opportunities for you to engage in Christian service to your community and the world.